Verbum, the Catholic division of Logos Bible Software, brings a powerful new study tool to the Catholic world. The new Verbum Plus libraries add hundreds of relevant books and resources to the already powerful Verbum libraries, in addition to new tools like the Catholic Topical Index, exclusive to Verbum.

New Plus libraries from Verbum

Verbum integrates liturgical documents like the Roman Missal and Catholic Lectionary, Scripture, and hundreds of other Church documents, like the Catechism of the Catholic Church, to provide a new approach to studying the Faith. Scott Hahn, professor of theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville, said, “As Catholics, we are called to read the Scriptures from the heart of the Church, from within the living Tradition, and to be transformed by our encounter with the Living Word—Verbum is an amazing tool toward this end.” He added, “I use Verbum myself, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to all Catholics who are looking to grow deeper in their faith and understanding.”

Andrew Jones, PhD, director of Verbum, said that “The new Catholic Topical Index was a massive project. It contains over 500 doctrinal topics selected carefully by scholars here at Verbum to provide comprehensive coverage of the Faith. The result is that anyone can simply type a passage into Verbum and instantly see all the topics that the Church has associated with the passage.” He added, “This topical index was a massive undertaking, and nothing like it exists digitally or in print.”

The leader in Catholic software innovation, Verbum has provided top-level research software for priests, catechists and the lay Faithful since 2011. These brand-new libraries introduce a huge leap in the realm of Catechetical and theological tools available to Catholics everywhere.

Verbum’s range of libraries lets users choose the size and scope they want, and the software works on Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire and Android devices.

Pope Francis and Person of the Year: Is it Right?

Time magazine announced recently that its 2013 Person of the Year is Pope Francis. Radhika Jones, deputy managing editor of Time, explained why he was chosen.

“The Pope came onto the scene in March with … fanfare, and almost the opposite of fanfare, and immediately made his presence felt in a way that seemed different from popes in recent memory. … He’s in a position of immense power, but he introduced himself as a man of great humility. Even in a very short amount of time — he’s only been pope for nine months — he really has refocused a conversation that’s global, putting more emphasis on poverty and the poor.”

Pope Francis stood out “as someone who has changed the tone and perception and focus of one of the world's largest institutions in an extraordinary way,” Time managing editor Nancy Gibbs said. It’s the third time the magazine has named a pope its person of the year.

But do the people who know Pope Francis agree with this distinction, and further, is the Pope pleased with being singled out in this way?

Available to discuss those very ideas are the people who know him:

Alejandro Bermudez, author of POPE FRANCIS: OUR BROTHER, OUR FRIEND, which presents the personal insights of ten Jesuits, many who have known Jorge Bergoglio since his first days as a Jesuit, and were interviewed for this book shortly after he was elected the Pope. Non-Jesuits, including an Argentine senator, a prominent rabbi, a priest working in the slums of Buenos Aires that Bergoglio often visited, also were interviewed. Bermudez can address topics including the Pope’s longstanding simplicity and authentic spirituality; his concern for the individual and the poor; his desire for the Church to go out to the street to meet the needs of the people; abortion; and same-sex marriage. Bermudez is the director of the largest Catholic news Agency in Spanish, ACI-Prensa, and the executive director of the Catholic News Agency. He translated Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio's book, On Heaven and Earth, into English.

Andrea Tornielli, author of FRANCIS: POPE OF A NEW WORLD, is the first biographer of Pope Francis and knows personally the former humble pastor of one of the world’s largest archdioceses; a cardinal who took the bus, talked with common folk, and lived simply. He knows the story of why the cardinal electors of the Catholic Church set aside political and diplomatic calculations to elect a pope to lead the renewal and purification of the worldwide Church of our time. Tornielli is a Vatican correspondent for the highly regarded Italian newspaper La Stampa who has collaborated with numerous Italian and international publications

For the full list of books and pamphlets Ignatius Press has published on Pope Francis, please visit http://bit.ly/1kDePQA.

A Message from Catholics Come Home

Come Home for Christmas

12 Days of Christmas: DaVinci Code Mystery Solved - Video Interview

Today, on Catholic Online, three different videos were uploaded that provide first person eyewitness testimony about 17th Century Jesuit letters which enumerated the 12 Days of Christmas as a code or catechism for Irish Catholics.

Father H. Stockert’s first person testimony cuts through the raging and erroneous internet debate on whether the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” was originally a code for Catholics at a time of persecution in the 17th century.

Fifty years ago, Father Stockert, a Byzantine priest, stumbled upon these17th century letters from one Jesuit priest in Dublin, Ireland to another in Douai, France while researching his doctoral thesis at Georgetown University. The letters enumerated the 12 Days of Christmas, formerly thought of as merely a children’s nursery rhyme, as a code for Catholics to teach their children the faith.

Thirty years ago, Father Stockert released this “juicy tidbit” on the internet. The text of the story went viral and an ugly internet debate began. With complete disregard for the history of Catholic persecution at this time in history, one writer mused “Why would Catholics need to write a code at that time, Protestants and Catholics basically believe the same thing.”



Author Rebecca Even of Prayersongs Publishing released the videos along with a song, a book, and an ornament kit reflecting the Catholic meanings behind the lovable and popular song. Even’s version of the song, “Our Father Gave To Us The Twelve Days of Christmas,” takes the traditional song and transforms the words to reflect the true spiritual meanings.

Rebecca said, “It is kind of a real life musical Da Vinci Code!” She also stated, “I am hoping and praying that the message of Living All Twelve Days of Christmas goes viral to our worldwide Catholic community.” Especially for Americans who struggle with consumerism like no one else, “celebrating all 12 days of Christmas can be completely transformative in cutting through the chaos of consumerism.”

Even stated “for years now, we have displayed our Knights of Columbus car magnet and have tried to keep “Christ in Christmas”. However, it was not until we began celebrating all 12 days of Christmas that our family figured out HOW to do to this.” Even, hopes her song, book and ornament kit, all available digitally, will help families “Keep Christ in Christmas”. Christmas is not a day it is a season and when celebrated that way brings the peace which surpasses all understanding!

You Tube Links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWfChdCylZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjyWNE39YO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP4GDlwK4cQ
URL: www.LiveTheTwelveDays.com
Song available on Itunes